Xu Wei, director of the tear-jerking film "Remember Me," told China.org.cn that love is at the heart of his new film and urged people to act when they feel love for someone.

A still image from "Remember Me." [Photo courtesy of QC Media]

"We Asian people usually hold love inside our hearts and are shy to express it in words or actions," Xu said. "This film is really about love and how to express it before it's too late."

"Remember Me," starring Hong Kong veteran Kara Wai and young actress Liu Haocun, explores love and affection in a broader sense, rather than romantic love. Based on the 2016 South Korean film "Canola," this Chinese remake follows an elderly woman, played by Wai, who raises her young granddaughter alone by the seashore after her son's death. The girl goes missing one day when out on the street but reappears 12 years later, claiming she was taken by her biological mother who is now deceased. The reunion initially seems happy, but a darker, more complex truth is later revealed about what actually happened and what the young girl has experienced all these years.

"I cried when I first read the script; it's very touching," the director recalled. But later, when Wai, Liu and the other actors came together to shoot the film, Xu felt even luckier due to the especially strong cast.

Kara Wai in particular gave Xu a sense of security and lots of help during the filming. "I was a relatively new director," Xu said, having just transitioned from award-winning cinematographer to director, and with only one other film under his belt ("Lost in White," 2016). "Wai gave me confidence. She helped me build up confidence. There's no need to mention her acting skills; they're brilliant. But as a person, she helped me a lot. She cared for us, even cooking for us."

"Remember Me" is a heartfelt drama with elements of suspense, touching on subjects such as left-behind children, powerful family love, Alzheimer's disease, bullying, criminality, destructive lies and redemption. It is filled with twists and tender moments. "I want this film to attract people's attention and immerse the audience in the plot, encouraging them to feel for and care about the characters and their destinies," Xu said.

The film was shot in Pingtan, known as the "County of Islands," the largest island in Fujian province, and features the local scenery and ways of life. The director remembers the location as very beautiful, yet also cold.

"When we arrived there, it was the coldest time in nearly a decade. So, our actors worked very hard as they had to wear thinner costumes for filming and change into thicker clothes after each shot," Xu said, noting that most of the filming days were cloudy. However, on the one day when they had to shoot a scene where a character applied sunscreen on a sunny day, the sun eventually emerged. "Now you know why I say we were lucky!"

The cast and crew of "Remember Me" pose for a photo at the film's premiere in Beijing, March 9, 2024. [Photo courtesy of QC Media]

"Remember Me" was released nationwide on Friday. "This film is full of positive energy and I hope people will feel its warmth. This is a journey of love, mutual healing and mutual salvation, struggling to get out of darkness," Xu said. "I hope that after seeing my film, people will be inspired to do something for the ones they love."

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